Want to start building muscle, but don’t know where to start? Here’s a guide for every exercise you need to train your fundamental muscles.

This guide includes exercises for:

1️⃣ Chest
2️⃣ Back
3️⃣ Quads
4️⃣ Hamstrings
5️⃣ Shoulders
6️⃣ Arms

Comment CHEAT down below to get the full guide, which includes videos for each exercise, tips for using the most effective technique, and insights into how to get the most out of your workout. 💪

You are always going to look your worst when you first start a diet. Skinny fat.

And you’re always going to look your best at the end of a diet when your glycogen is restored. This is when you’ve finished your diet and you’ve actually gained back a little bit of weight.

The reason for this is when you start a diet, you’ll often lose glycogen in your muscle cells. Glycogen shuttles water to your muscle cells. This is known as sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. This makes your muscles look bigger.

So when you start a diet, you’re going to look skinny fat. When you finish a diet, you’re going to be your absolute leanest because you have less body fat.

Once the carbs are restored as glycogen in your muscle cells, your muscles will look big again.

I actually gained 13 pounds in 4 days re-carbing up at the end of my diet. I was 226 on a Wednesday, and by Monday I was 239 pounds because I had restored glycogen levels. The bigger your muscles are, the more experience you have training, the more capacity your muscles have to store glycogen. I looked lean, I looked swole, and I got super favorable numbers on my DEXA scan.

Remember, your body fat percentile is a fraction. The top is the amount of fat you have, and the bottom is your total weight. If you increase your total weight without increasing your body fat, i.e. muscle, your total body fat percentile will go down.

If you want to learn more about how to get into the best shape of your life, go to JacobZemer.com to get started with my coaching program that has helped thousands of people lose fat and build muscle.

You don’t have to get at least 10,000 steps a day to receive health benefits from activity.
In fact, the biggest bang for your buck when it comes to steps is somewhere between 6,000 – 7,000 steps daily.

As you continue on, there is a diminishing return for your activity. This continues to 10,000 steps and then a slight decrease in benefit up to 14,000 steps.

The optimal step count per day is 6,000 – 7,000 steps. However, the most effective amount of steps may go as far as 26,000 steps per day.

For my coaching clients, I look at their 3 weeks of steps tracked on a wearable and then find their average step count per day. Over time, we progress those step counts to increase daily activity.

The more active you are, the more health benefits you’ll receive.

💪 Click the link in bio to start increasing your activity with my coaching program.

If you’re on a diet, here are 5 great vegetables that can help you keep your calories low.

✅ PICKLES
12 calories and 1g of fiber per 100g. These are great, but they can be high in sodium.

✅ SPINACH
23 calories and 2g of fiber per 100g. This is a high volume food that’s rich in fiber, folate, and potassium.

✅ BRUSSELS SPROUTS
43 calories and 4g of fiber per 100g. These have great macros and are high in Vitamin K.

✅ CARROTS
41 calories and 3g of fiber per 100g. These are high in fiber and beta carotene.

✅ BROCCOLI
34 calories and 3g of fiber per 100g. This are high in fiber and sulforaphane, and you can buy it fresh or frozen.

Want to learn how you can lose weight and gain muscle? Click the link in my bio to get started with my coaching program.

Today I tried NutraChurn, which are prepackaged Ninja Creami recipes. They sent me a few different flavors, as well as a handwritten note, which is really classy of them.

You don’t really hear much from Ninja Creami nowadays, but if you’re willing to put in the time, they’re still worth it in terms of macros, price, and creativity.

I tried 3 flavors: chocolate, cookies and cream, and vanilla. Here are the macros for the chocolate flavor:

– 313 calories
– 40g protein
– 8g of added sugar

Here’s how you make it:

1. Empty the packet into a blender
2. Add 1 ½ cup of milk
3. Blend (I use a Beast Health blender)

I let these sit for 24 hours and then blended them again. You can add a little more milk if they’re still really thick.

My verdict: these taste great. The cookies and cream actually tastes like a cookies and cream Frosty. At first glance, these may seem like they’re simply whey protein in a bag. However, they add the proper sweeteners, emulsifiers, and a pinch of salt.

If you want to make truly delicious Ninja Creamis, you’re going to have to use multiple ingredients. I have no affiliation with this brand. They simply sent me the product, and I enjoyed it.

‼️New product alert from @Costco: Protein Pop.

MACROS:
130 calories
30g protein

The problem is, only half of that protein is a complete protein source. It’s a combination of whey protein and bovine collagen. Collagen is not fully bioavailable. This is fine as long as you get a complete protein source within a few hours before or after having this as your form of protein.

INGREDIENTS:
Whey protein isolate, bovine collagen, natural flavors, acidic acid, and stevia, which is a great sweetening agent.

PRICE:
$28.99 for a 15-pack, so a little under $2.00 per can, which is a pretty good price for a pre-made protein shake.

TELL ME: Are you planning on trying Costco’s Protein Pop this summer? Let me know in the comments ⬇️

Why is fiber so important?

The reality is, most Americans are only getting half the fiber they actually need. Here’s a list of high fiber foods that will help you feel full while keeping your calories low.

VEGETABLES:
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Asparagus
Artichoke hearts
Carrots

FRUITS:
Berries
Apples
Oranges
Bananas
Avocados

PSYLLIUM HUSK:
This can help lower LDL cholesterol, increase satiety, and feed healthy gut bacteria.

PRODUCTS:
647 Bread
Mission Carb Wraps
Shameless Gummies

Send this to a friend who needs more fiber in their life, and click the link in bio to learn more about how my coaching program can help you lose fat while still enjoying the foods you love.

Being vascular has nothing to do with protein. It has to do with these four things:

1️⃣ Adipose tissue
Body fat sits over top and surrounds your veins, so the leaner you are, the more vascular you’ll be.

2️⃣ Muscle
You have deep veins, but you also have superficial veins which sit over top of your muscle. So if you have a lot of muscle, those veins are just going to pop out.
When you compare a strongman or a powerlifter to a bodybuilder, even though strongmen and powerlifters have a lot of muscle, they’re typically not as lean, so the bodybuilder is going to be more vascular.
3️⃣ Genetics
I’ve always been super vascular, even before I got into lifting and dialing in my nutrition. But when I’m leaner, I’m always more vascular.

4️⃣ Performance-enhancing drugs
These can increase hematocrit, which can cause you to have thicker blood and make your veins pop out even more.

Want to learn more about how to build muscle the right way while losing fat? Give me a call. 📞 Click the link in bio to book a 10-min call with me to discover how my coaching program can help you transform your body.

I’m reviewing high protein premade meals from Costco, and I had 3 requirements before I picked them out:

1️⃣ Fully cooked
2️⃣ One product per brand
3️⃣ Passes the protein test

For example, the Irish stew I tried has 24g of protein and 230 calories. There are at least 10g of protein per 100 calories, so this passes the protein test.

Here are my ratings:

TIER S: I would buy it again
TIER A: I would eat it if served to me
TIER B: Eh
TIER C: Disgusting

Kevin’s Paleo Chimichurri Beef – TIER A
Cuisine Solutions Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin – TIER A
Amy Lu Foods Chicken Burger – TIER S
Fully Cooked Irish Stew – TIER S
Sukhi’s Indian Chicken Tikka Masala – TIER B
Smoked Sliced Beef Brisket – TIER B
Carne Asada Diced Beef – TIER C
Sabatino’s Chicken Florentine – TIER B

The full video is live on my YouTube channel. Click the 🔗 in bio to watch the entire review, and let me know what you think.

I tested 8 high protein premade meals from Costco so you don’t have to. If you’re busy, stressed, or just don’t have time to cook, these convenient high protein options can keep you on track without sacrificing your nutrition goals.
Every meal I reviewed had 3 requirements:

1️⃣ Fully cooked
2️⃣ One product per brand
3️⃣ Passes the protein test

Here’s how each meal ranked:

Kevin’s Paleo Chimichurri Beef — Tier A
Cuisine Solutions Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin — Tier A
AmyLu’s Caramelized Onion White Cheddar Chicken Burger — Tier S
Fully Cooked Irish Stew — Tier S
Sukhi’s Chicken Tikka Masala — Tier B
Smoked Sliced Beef Brisket — Tier B
Carne Asada Diced Beef — Tier C
Sabatino’s Chicken Florentine — Tier B

These aren’t an everyday solution, but they’re a far better choice than junk food or ordering out on a busy night.

Want a personalized nutrition and training plan built around your real life? Visit JacobZemer.com to learn more about my coaching program and start getting in the best shape of your life.

0:00 – Intro
1:20 – Tier System
1:41 – Kevin’s Chimichurri Beef
2:25 – Jacob Zemer Coaching
3:30 – Cuisine Solutions Sliced Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin
4:46 – Kevin’s Chimichurri Beef Rating
5:06 – Cuisine Solutions Sliced Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin Rating
5:11 – Fully Cooked Irish Stew
5:45 – AmyLu Charbroiled Chicken Burger
6:31 – Sukhi’s Chicken Tikka Masala
7:41 – AmyLu Charbroiled Chicken Burger Rating
7:57 – Fully Cooked Irish Stew Rating
8:34 – Sukhi’s Chicken Tikka Masala Rating
8:38 – Sabatino’s Chicken Florentine
9:27 – Carne Asada Diced Beef
9:59 – Smoked Sliced Beef Brisket
10:42 – Smoked Sliced Beef Brisket Rating
10:58 – Carne Asada Diced Beef Rating
11:27 – Sabatino’s Chicken Florentine Rating
11:31 – Outro

My client Joe Bilman used to be 360 pounds. He is now under 220 pounds.

This transformation took years. Joe has been incredibly committed.

When he first started training with me, we took the trek down from 360 to 280. At that point, he got a little burnt out, so we took a break. This kind of transformation is a long journey.

Soon after, he came back and started training with me again, and this time we went from 280 all the way down to 220.

Here’s what I focused on with Joe:

✅ Nutrition
We focus on high fiber, high protein foods that he actually enjoys.

✅ Caloric deficit
Enjoying your diet makes it sustainable, but you have to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight.

✅ Eating out/travel
Joe enjoys eating out at a restaurant once or twice a week, and sometimes Joe has to travel to Dubai or London for work, so we account for that in his nutrition plan.

✅ Weight training
Joe progresses his lifts, and he’s gotten significantly stronger over time. As a result, his DEXA scan shows that he has not only lost fat but also built muscle through this process.

✅ HIIT
Cardiovascular health is essential to long term health. After weight training, Joe does high intensity interval training.

Joe has a demanding schedule that involves travel for work, and his family is his priority. Joe has been incredibly consistent, always doing exactly what I’ve asked him to do. He’s highly coachable, and that is why he has gotten these amazing results.

This is what I do for my clients, and I’ve helped thousands of people get into the best shape of their lives. It’s much easier when you have a client like Joe who is coachable, hard-working, and committed to the process.

Go to JacobZemer.com to start your transformation journey today.

🍞 647 Bread is my favorite bread for dieting. Here’s why.

MACROS:
Each slice of 647 Bread has 40 calories, 8g of fiber, 6g of carbs, and 2g of protein. This makes it a better fiber option than brown rice.

COMPETITION:
There are other breads like Dave’s Killer Bread, Hero Bread, or Royo Bread. But to me, 647 Bread stands out as the #1 dietary bread on the market.

PRICE:
Royo Bread is $12.00/loaf. Hero Bread is $7.99/loaf. Dave’s Killer Bread is $6.69/loaf. 647 Bread is $4.99/loaf, making it a smart choice for hitting your fiber goals.

LIFESTYLE:
Even if you’re on a diet, you can still enjoy the comfort of a sandwich while making health lifestyle changes. This is a great tasting, high fiber, low calorie option if you still want to get bread in your diet.

TELL ME: What’s your favorite fiber friendly bread? Let me know in the comments. ⬇️